Live!

By Luci M., Gilbertville, MA

Just recently I was in a car crash. I was driving. No one was hurt, but my car was totaled. I wasn't drunk, high, or under any influence at all, but the radio was blasting, people were yelling, and I was going too fast. I am writing this to get a message across. I want all the drivers out there to know: no one is immortal. We all may think so, but we're not. Three days ago I could have been killed. Or I could have killed my sister and her friend. We narrowly missed a telephone pole , by about two inches. We were two inches from death, severe injury, or both. I was wearing a seat belt. No one else was. It is just pure luck that I am able to tell you this story now.

My experience taught me just how fragile life is , how easy it is to die. Or to kill.

After the accident, I crawled into my bed and just cried. Everyone told me not to think about it. I didn't want to and yet I want to think about it as much as I can, because I never want to forget the lesson this has taught me.

We are always hearing lectures about drunk driving. Well, this is not a lecture. This is coming from someone just like you. And I'm saying you don't have to be drunk to die.

Everyone! Listen! Think! Many of you say you want to die. But think about it. Really think about it. Hard. Life may stink, times may be hard, but death is worse. Trust me, I have been through Hell back and forth ten times. I have thought that I really wanted to die. Coming close to death has taught me that death would be much worse. If you can't empathize with that, think about it in another way. Think of how others would feel. Do you really want to put your parents through that kind of trauma?

Death is too scary for me to forget, too close to ignore. Life is so fragile, yet so full of opportunities. Think, and then act. Wear your seat belt. All the time. How do you know when you will get into an accident? It's not cool to die. And speeding is expensive, as well as dangerous. Do you think it is fun to think of the people you might have killed? It's not. It will happen to you if you don't think. Don't be lazy. Don't be careless. If you don't do it for yourself, do it for other people, other drivers. All humanity is precious. Don't become a statistic. Survive. Everyone alive is a survivor. Live. I know it's hard, but you never know, the struggle may be worth it someday.

This experience has taught me that everyone has the right to live, and that no one has the right to take that away, so, please, don't wait until experience has taught you the same lesson. Or until experience has killed you. Do me a favor: Take my advice: LIVE! n